Why I tried it: I’ve known for a while that a second, totally different, more lovable vegetable is hidden in every Brussels sprout if you can just bear the tedium of picking it off, leaf by leaf. It hardly ever seems worth it. But the picture was so enticing, and I found myself with the time one day, so I decided to go for it.

Why I loved it: The skunkiness of cabbage is almost impossible to find in Brussels sprouts when they’re sautéd as separate leaves – with such quick work, there’s no chance for that smelly culprit, hydrogen sulfide, to break out of its cell. Better still, the leaves are both tender and substantial enough to hold their shape a bit, a counterpoint to the wilty spinach. And best of all, there are Marcona almonds. Yes, it’s a splurge, but not only are they fantabulous in the dish – you can also secretly snack on them as a reward for detaching Brussels leaves for half an hour. The maple and vinegar are just right, fleeting hints of tart and sweet for an elegant side.

Incidentally, there’s no need to discard the tiny core of the Brussels sprouts. I threw it in the pan along with everything else. My result might not have been as refined-looking as the photo, but it sure tasted amazing.

Estimated preparation time: 30 minutes. But 5 minutes if you can get somebody else to separate the Brussels sprouts leaves and wash the spinach.
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1. Working with one brussels sprout at a time, peel each individual leaf, starting from the outside and working toward the middle. Continue to peel until you get to the tough core where it is just too tight to pull any more leaves. Discard the core [ed.: Or don’t!] and put the leaves in a big bowl. Repeat with the remaining brussels sprouts.

2. Over medium heat, warm the olive oil in a large frying pan. Add all of the brussels leaves and saute for about 30 seconds. Add the vinegar and maple syrup and toss to coat, Add the spinach to the pan and toss until it is just barely wilted. It is better just slightly underdone in this case, as it will continue to cook in its own heat.